It's Haiku Friday.
Now that Little Man is taking a sippy cup, the option of starting to wean is there, but I don't think we're ready just yet. I feel like this is going to go on forever, but not in a bad, oppressive way, if that makes any sense. It just seems like something we do, and I can't imagine our life without it.
Yesterday we didn't nurse immediately after the afternoon nap, as we usually do. Two hours later he was frantic to nurse (he had been drinking water from a sippy in the meantime, so it's not as if he was thirsty). I'm reading this as "he's not ready."
Impostor Mom's son, Boog, is only a few days older than Little Man. Boog's interest had been waning, and they had a natural, baby-led weaning experience. That's what I want for Little Man and myself. It seems far off at this point. I know I'll be sad when it happens.
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Little Man seems to be dropping his morning nap -- at least that's what some of my friends said when I described this week's naps (or lack thereof).
He's almost one year corrected age, and fourteen months chronological age. Is this about the time? I want that morning nap!! I usually sleep then, too. I am really tired this week. ;)
Any thoughts on moving naps and holding on to my sanity are welcome.
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Have a great weekend everybody. I have some SUPER cute pictures of the Little Man for Weekly Winners on Sunday, and I need to thank all of our wonderful March for Babies supporters. See you then!
21 comments:
You'll be ready, when you are ready! ((HUGS))
You will LOVE mornings without naps, once you get used to them. It's the best when you know that right after lunch, the kid is going to crash for hours. Really, the best.
mornings without naps were awesome because, you can actually leave the house...get stuff done...come home in time for the afternoon nap...and crash, yourself!!
i didn't have the option of weaning my last one. he weaned himself, cold turkey, at 7 months. wouldn't go near my breast, stopped sucking his thumb...demanded all artificial stuff...pacifiers and bottles!! it was odd but, so like him!!
you'll wean when you are good and ready!! don't let anyone tell you otherwise!!
My little guy just weaned a few weeks ago and dropped his morning nap. I actually like the freedom to leave the house in the morning if I need to now. Kinda nice.
Try and move the afternoon nap up just a bit so the kid doesn't get too cranky. And the afternoon naps usually get longer too. :)
As for weaning, don't stress. Just let your instinct and you baby decide. You'll know when it is right. :)
Good luck!
Both of my girls dropped down to one nap around 11 months. They dropped their afternoon nap. But once they adjusted to the one nap gig, they both ultimately extended their morning naps to nearly three hours.
I think the previous commenter has a good idea, try moving up the afternoon nap a smidge. It might be a happy medium for you both!
my youngest had an enforced morning nap drop when Peanut started school. His one nap a day went to two hours though (was 45 min. in morning and 45 in afternoon). Makes it easier on my to schedule around a two hour chunk.
Oh and nursing, sounds like he's not ready, neither are you! :)
Happy Friday!
you'll know when he's ready to wean. (of course, that's coming from someone who is still nursing a 3 1/2 yr old 1x/day who is still not ready to wean. LOL)
my son stopped 2 naps a little before he turned 1. now he does one usually 3 hr nap each day. it's glorious. if only my daughter would nap too, i'd be over the moon. ;)
sanity?
huh?
I was in no rush to wean either but really I couldn't have asked for a better transition. No tears, no unhappiness. Well from Boog anyway. :P
That one nap a day is great once it starts getting longer and you get used to it. Lots more freedom I think.
that last comment was from me, don't know why it said anonymous.
Wean when it is right not expected. And, you already know I think you'll be singing joyful arias when you get the one LONG nap.
I had to wean both mine before I ready (I dried up) and it was harder on me than on them. Once you do it though, you'll be happy to have your boobs back and wear a regular bra!
We're contemplating the one nap thing too at our house, the problem is that even when she only gets one nap, she doesn't sleep long enough!
BTW< I tagged you for an award at my site.
Mira weaned long before I wanted to, mostly due to my drying up after a bad stomach flu. I wish we could have gone longer, but I'm glad we got the time we did.
This is about the right time to drop a nap. It sucks, but if you're lucky the afternoon nap will get longer at least.
you gotta go with the flow, hon. whenever it happens is the right time.
What everybody else said! You'll know when you know.
Every child is different. My first son weaned himself at 10 months (I had just gotten pregnant and I think my milk changed). I weaned my daughter at 19 months(9 months preg) b/c I didn't want to tandem nurse. I weaned my 3rd around 10 months, but had been supplementing. Truthfully, after almost 5 years of nursing, I just needed a break!
Colin took two naps a day until he was almost two. Brynn went down to one a day at about 16 months. I was surprised that I actually like this! Here's hoping you get a good three hour nap!!
Yay update! I was figuring you'd get a 'ku up. Nice to have bonus paragraphs. ;p
Hope you get a long nap soon! :D
Push him til 11, & then let him nap til 1. You won't miss that nap once it's gone! Also, buy the disposable sippy cups (First Years?) They are light & easy to hold, & no valve to hunt down in the dishwasher :-)
When Quinn went down to two naps I missed the morning nap, until I started using that time to get out of the house. We did push his afternoon nap earlier, like 11:30 instead of 1pm...then kept moving it a little bit later and later. It wasn't until he was 2 that he was back at a 1pm nap.
One of our sleep reference book says that to keep a good afternoon nap you should not let them sleep from more than 90 minutes in the AM. I would do an hour, then take him out for fresh California air, wake him up, let him play, and he should take a nice afternoon nap. The reason the book suggests this is that during the transition time from one to two naps kids tend to take long morning naps and short afternoon naps causing them to be cranky in the early evening. Then you put them to bed early, then they wake up early, then they need an early morning nap, then they sleep too long, then the skip or skimp their pm nap, and the cycle continues.
So yeah, my advice? Don't let him sleep for more than an hour in the AM...gradually getting him to skip that nap all together.
AS for weaning??? I never want to stop nursing Liam. Quinn decided at 10 months he was done, but I was working during the day and taking a class at night once a week, so he was used to the bottle at night. Not Liam, it's all Mama at nighttime and he loves it and I love it. I'll probably worry about weaning completely around 15 months or so. We'll see. I have been weaning some of his daytime feedings so I don't have to pump so much when I'm away.
I like your name, VDog! I have a P-Dawg and a J-Dog over at my place. Thanks for stopping by the other day!
I always said I would nurse LittleMan until he went to college if it meant it would keep the weight off. Um, that would be MY LittleMan, by the way. LOL We weaned at a year for lots of reasons. I say do what you feel is best for you and him, and the rest of the people can mind their own business. LOL
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